The Simple Things
by Aki Midori
Summary: And like the Red Sea, the crowd parted in half to reveal not Moses, but TWO gorgeous Rukawa hunks. The two walked side-by-side as they both looked for the perfect gift, only to discover that the simplest things are usually the best ones...


The Simple Things  
Another SenRuSen Christmas Special by the abomination that is Midori Aki 

Warnings: OOC. Sap, I think. Original character, but you're gonna love me for that one, I swear.  
Rating: PG for implied Shounen ai. Be responsible.  
Pairing: SenRu

Summary: And like the Red Sea, the vicious crowd parted in half to reveal not Moses, but TWO gorgeous Rukawa hunks. The two walked side-by-side as they both looked for the perfect gift, only to discover that the simplest things are usually the best ones...

dIsCLaiMeRs: Mine... all mine! You know why I disappeared for a long time? It's because I was plotting a way to steal them from Inoue Takehiko. I did it! Mwaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha! Kouji's mine, though, and you have to kill me first before you get your paws on him. And I'm sure as hell you wouldn't be able to. I'm a lot stronger that you are, lot stronger than you think. You know why? Because I'm a member of the SenRu Axis Power Monster Squad Alliance! I'm (B)Aki-mon. The Grappler. The Bouncer. The Bodyguard. Fear me, for I can eat you ALIVE! Bwahahahahaha--- AAAAAAACK!

AkiKaenians grab Aki by the neck and haul her back to her cell in the pits of AkiKaenia

AkiKaenians: Down, girl!

Author's Blah:  
Yeah, well... it's been only a few days since I've uploaded **Love Song **, but here I am now, back with a new Christmas fic. It's longer, and wackier, but contains just as much SenRuSen lovin'.

Enjoy, my friends!

Dedication: For my Buddy, my Kouji. :) Because you're always there to make things better.

Happy Holidays, minna! Celibacy 14 will be posted SOON. I swear. :P

* * *

The Simple Things  
by Aki Midori  


Sometimes, you really don't have to try that hard anymore.

You just have to sit down, relax, and let things fall into their respective places.

You don't always have to make it alright. You don't always have to make it better.

There would come a time... that it would just be.

And then everything would be okay.

So, for the thirty-fifth time that day, Rukawa Kaede asked the eternal question-

"Why me?"

To which his brother answered, "Why not you?"

Kaede has no answer to that. How he came to this mess, he could not remember. All he remembered was planning to buy a gift for his friend- a first, 'coz he never really had any friends save for his brother (heaven forbid)- and the next thing he knew, he was... here.

And HERE was in the middle of a parted crowd who's currently looking at them as though they were superb artifacts in an ancient museum. Said crowd was silent. All of them were too busy drooling at the sight of two yummylicious men, one of which is a tall, pale, blue-eyed, raven-haired god from Shohoku. The other one looks exactly like the first one, save for his light tan, longer hair pulled back in a ponytail, and sexy smirk. The football god from Osaka.

Both were sexy, the first one winter and the latter summer. Cool and fiery. Ice blue and burning red. Mysterious and exotic.

And both were currently being ogled at in the middle of a mall.

"Lighten up, bro!" Rukawa Kouji chirped, throwing an arm across his brother's shoulder. "Attention is good. Really good. Besides, it's not our fault we're drop-dead handsome! It's our parents' fault for bringing us into this world. We're doomed to stay good-looking forever. Being handsome has its price, ne? It's a sad, sad fact."

"Someone should really deflate that ego of yours, moron," Rukawa replied, dead-pan, as always. Whose fault was it that he was stuck in this mall, anyway? Kouji. Whose idea was it to 'give love on Christmas Day' by giving out the 'most special gift one could ever have'? Kouji. Whose fault was it that he has to bear with this gift-shopping hoola-bahoola, when all the while he could just stay in his room and fantisize non-stop about his, ehm, best friend? Kouji.

Who's he gonna kill later when the people stopped looking at him as though he was a... a... walking freak show?

Kouji.

And who's tweaking his nose leftwards and rightwards right now?

None other than Kouji.

"Hoi. No'aho. I would amrejiate id iv yu dake ngyor thilthy thingers ov mhy dose."

Kouji laughed and released his twin brother's nose. "What was that again, a-ni-ki?"

"I said I would appreciate it if you take your filthy fingers off my nose, which you did, so thank you very much."

"You are so damn cute, bro!" Kouji laughed. "Let's go now and buy that gift for Nendoh."

"That's Sendoh, you moron."

"Whatever."

Rukawa was under the impression that his brother was teasing him again, and he doesn't like that. So far, the moron has done nothing but to mispronounce Sendoh's name over and over again. Oh... besides making his life a living hell, that is, which was what Kouji was born to do.

"Repeat after me, Kouji." Rukawa's face was blank as he took his brother's face in his hands and pinched his cheeks. "Sendoh Akira. Sen-doh A-ki-ra. S-E-N-D-O-H. You want Nihongo? SE-N-DO. Not Nendoh, not Sencho, not Kendou, and certainly not Senkosh! Sendoh Akira. Sendoh. Now let me hear you say it."

Kouji grinned. "Did you say Fendoh or Sendong?"

"You know what? Fuck you."

"Nope. You're my brother. We can't."

"I'll kill you."

The expression on Kouji's face was nothing short of amused when he said, "Listen, we're not gonna accomplish something if we bicker like this all day. Now let's go find that perfect gift."

Rukawa had nothing to say to that. Damn if he voiced out his agreement to his brother. He was born to refute Kouji, but at the moment, the latter's suggestion was the best thing to do. He allowed his elder twin to wrap an arm around his shoulders and half-drag him all over the mall.

If anything, he was most relaxed when he was with Kouji. There's always something about spending your time with the person who is practically the other half of yourself. Yes, he had to admit, most of the times they were together, Kouji, with the help of the mysterious powers that be, would manage to get them into trouble, and he, Rukawa Kaede, had to get them out of it. But really, most of the fun things he ever experienced in his otherwise mundane existence were spent with Kouji.

Rukawa predicted that it must be because of the **Universal Be-Close-To-Your-Twin Law**.

Which would be the death of him, really, considering the fact that Kouji was annoying as hell. Living with a squawking, obnoxious dodo bird was better than living with his overbearing twin, but hell... you can't get all the good things in life.

So yeah, he remembered he was planning to buy a gift for his friend- a first, 'coz he never really had any friends save for his brother (heaven forbid)- and the next thing he knew, he was... here.

And HERE was in the middle of a parted crowd who are currently looking at them as though they were superb artifacts in an ancient museum.

HERE was also in his brother's arms, as they walked side-by-side, looking for the perfect gift for his best friend.

Rukawa decided that the day wasn't so bad, after all.

--------------------

"For the last time, goddamn you. His name is Sendoh."

"You think he'd like this crystal horse?"

Rukawa seethed. Kouji wasn't listening to him. Hell if he let this moron continue staining his best friend's name. "Sendoh, Kouji. Please. Sendoh."

"Yeah. Whatever you say. But you think he'd like this crystal horse?"

"Sendoh's got nothing to do with horses."

Kouji 'hmm'ed and frowned in concentration, ignoring Rukawa's apparent annoyance. He scanned the different displays, his face all serious and intellectual-looking, and grabbed another figurine. "What about this crystal monkey?"

"I would not give him a monkey on his Christmas party."

"A pig, then?"

"For crying out loud, Kouji. You're not helping," Rukawa seethed.

Kouji blinked. "You didn't cry out loud, Kaede. You could have at least said that with feelings."

"Feelings, my ass," Rukawa muttered under his breath. To hell with feelings. Right now, he wanted to give something to Sendoh. He wanted to give him something so special, to tell the man that he cared for him, even though at times, it may not seem so.

It wasn't his fault that he was born an asshole, anyway. Rukawa blamed it to the universal concept that twins should be the exact opposite of each other. His brother took the role of the happy, lovable, friendly hunk. The darling of the neighborhood. Favorite of the fairer sex. Fiery, seductive, gallant. So, what's he left with? What's his role, then?

Answer: The Jerk.

With a capital 'J', baby.

And now, his Royal Jerkiness doesn't know how to extend his warmest holiday wishes to the only person who ever treated him like he was the best person on earth. Besides his unconventional family, that is.

"This isn't working," Rukawa pointed out.

"It'll work, bro," Kouji said with a smile. "We'll make it work."

Why Rukawa would allow that simple smile to take all his fears away was beyond him, but he did anyway.

Kouji's here.

Everything will work out fine.

Heaven forbid.

"Think Wendoh would like this, bro?"

A man could only take so much pain. The next few minutes saw Rukawa Kaede mercilessly grabbing Rukawa Kouji's head and locking it under his arm to inflict not-so-light injuries upon the seemingly empty (but pretty) head of his brother.

"Peace, man! Peace!" Kouji wailed amidst all the atrocity being done to him.

"There would be no peace, you moron," Rukawa seethed as he reveled on the sound of his fist making contact with Kouji's head. It was the most delicious sound Rukawa has ever heard- bonk after bonk after bonk after-

"Rukawa?"

BONK!

"Ow! That's far too much, Rukawa Kaede!"

"And that's not funny, Rukawa Kouji," Rukawa said as he delivered another hit on his brother's abused head.

"What's not funny?! You're the one abusing me!" Kouji wailed. He tried to get out of Rukawa's grasp to give the younger twin a dose of his own medicine, but the latter's hold onto him was too tight.

Man, he shouldn't have encouraged Rukawa to watch all those wrestling matches. The boy's getting ideas!

"Sendoh's voice. You're imitating Sendoh's voice, and it's not funny, you moron," Rukawa replied.

"Hi, Rukawa."

BONK! BONK! BONK!

"For the love of- Kaede, it's not me!"

"Erm, Rukawa-kun, it's me."

_'Now, why's that voice so achingly familiar?'_ Rukawa thought. _'That's not Sendoh. Please... not Sendoh. Kami-sama, please don't let him see me like this. Not like this, when I'm currently inflicting serious injury upon my worthless brother's head. Please don't let him see me like- Oh shit.'_

Bonk. "Sendoh," Rukawa acknowledged Sendoh's presence with a slight nod and delivered a lame bonk on his brother's head before releasing him.

"Ha!" Kouji breathed out triumphantly. "I told you it wasn't me, but did you listen? Nooooooo, you didn't! I told you to stop, but did you listen? Nooooooooo, you didn't! You just have to bring out that brat in you and continue to inflict grave injuries upon the beauty that is your older twin, thereby making you lose face aaaand poise in front of the man you call your best friend, and-"

"Shut up, Kouji."

"Ha! You lost this match, baby," Kouji declared as he finally lifted his eyes to look at an astounded Sendoh. "And you are the infamous Sendoh, I presume?"

To say that Sendoh was astounded would be an understatement. Here he was, on his last-minute shopping escapade for tonight's party, and never did he expect that he would run into the man who's been running on his mind for weeks. Months. Whatever.

One Rukawa was enough to haunt his life forever. Never in his wildest dreams have he imagined that his, ehm, /best friend/, is part of a split sperm cell. Sendoh looked from one Rukawa to another, his mouth open in mild surprise. They look so similar, yet so different.

But of course... _/his/_ Rukawa is so much more... beautiful. He'd bet that _/his/_ Rukawa's so much more wonderful. He's the greater Twin. The better one. The best! The most gorgeous, the most yummylicious, the sexiest, the most-

Yeah. Point taken.

Sendoh shook his head to get his ass out of his reverie, and tried to smile at the two, but damn! TWO Rukawas?! _/His/_ Rukawa has a twin? And he /never/ told him?

"He's cool," he heard the other Rukawa say non-chalantly, pulling him out of Trala-Land, and back into their own world. "But is his mouth always open like that, or was he just surprised to see someone as handsome as me?"

"Asshole," Rukawa Kaede merely muttered. "Go back to Osaka, why don't you?"

"I'm not going back home until we buy that gift for Rendoh," Rukawa's twin said with a big grin.

"You really want to die that much?"

"Nope! Not until we buy that gift for Dendoh!"

_'Great,'_ Rukawa thought. _'Reveal everything, why don't you?'_ "His name is Sendoh, you ass."

"Hello, friend!" Kouji greeted Sendoh with his own brand of 'Rukawa Dazzling Smile'. "It's so nice to finally meet the infamous you! My aniki has told me soooooooo much about you!"

Sendoh took note of the fact that _/his/_ Rukawa's smile was much more beautiful.

He gave Kouji his own dazzling smile and extended his hand. "Rukawa-kun didn't say /anything/ about you, but I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"What? My aniki didn't tell you anything about the miracle that is me?" Kouji asked, feigning at hurt look. "And here I am, announcing to Osaka that I have a marvelous twin, aaaaaaand, his coughbestfriendcough."

Rukawa wanted to kill Kouji right then and there.

"Osaka knows about me?" Sendoh inquired, throwing Rukawa Kaede a questioning look, who, in turn, shrugged non-commitically.

"'Course they do!" Kouji replied. "Now, 'nough with this chit-chat. We'll buy that gift, ne, Kaede?"

"Ass."

"That all you can say, darling?" Kouji challenged, nudging Rukawa. Here he was, trying to make a decent conversation, and what does his idiot brother do? Made it a point to reiterate his 'ass-ness' time and over again. Hmph! How idiotic his brother could be? Here was the man the little twerp had been pining for, for like -eons- and he's still being his bitchy, anti-social self! Kouji raised his eyes to heaven and sighed.

Why couldn't the gods have given him a more... agreeable charge? A more endearing brother? Surely, it wasn't much of a task, no?

"Anou, you guys are buying something?" Sendoh asked, throwing a subtle appreciative glance towards the quiet Rukawa. Gods, how could he have managed to look so perfect in a simple white polo shirt? Sendoh was willing to bet that Rukawa Kaede could wear a sack and /still/ manage to look like royalty.

"Not anymore," Rukawa snapped, elbowing Kouji on the ribs. Oh boy. He's gonna get it when they get home.

"Yes, we still are," Kouji said, gritting his teeth as he elbowed Rukawa back.

"Not anymore." Bonk.

"We still are." Bonk. Bonk.

"I'm calling the shots here, ass." Bonk. Bonk. Bonk.

"Says who?" Bonk. Bonk. Bonk. Bonk.

"Says me." Bonk. Bonk. Bonk. Bonk. WHAM!

"Ouch! That hurt, you jerk!" WHAM! WHAM! "Who died and put you in charge!?"

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! "No has to die, idiot. I'M in charge here."

"Why you-"

"That's quite enough, both of you," Sendoh said as he tried to prevent both men from fighting. A stray fist made its way on his pretty cheek, though, and, "OW! Rukawa-kun!"

"Hn." WHACK!

"You're an ass, Kaede!" WHACK! "You're gonna involve Kendoh, too?" WHACK!

A man could only take so much pain. Again. "SENDOH! HIS NAME IS SENDOH!" Rukawa screamed as he dove for his brother's neck.

"OW! KAEDE, I CAN'T BREATHE!"

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!" Kouji's fist was suspended in mid-air as a not-so-pleased guard made his way past the crowd and grabbed both him and his brother by their shirts. "You are disrupting peace, young men, and that is entirely unforgivable! It ruins the holiday spirit, dammit!"

The next few minutes found both seething Rukawas and an astounded Sendoh being escorted out of the mall.

Empty-handed.

"This is your fault," Rukawa accused at Kouji as he nursed his bruising cheek.

"My fault?! You were the one who hit me first!" Kouji retorted, nursing his own battered face. "Look what you did! Japan would avenge me for this abomination."

"Japan wouldn't care if you throw yourself out of the window and die."

"You're an ass, Kaede," Kouji declared.

"So are you."

"Hmp."

"Hn."

"Hey guys, knock it off, you're hurting each other," Sendoh admonished softly. Both Rukawas grunted and ignored him. Sendoh sighed. This isn't one of his better days. "Listen, Rukawa. I'm guessing I'm in the way of something here, so, I guess I'll just see you at the party later? Kouji-san, you could come too, if you like," Sendoh said, smiling over to Rukawa's disgruntled twin.

"I'll be there, Mendoh," Kouji replied, his eyes twinkling as Rukawa growled at him.

Sendoh could only shake his head in amusement before he gave both a final wave. His eyes lingered on Rukawa's, though, and he gave the younger man a small smile before he turned to go. "See you," he mouthed, and went off.

Rukawa smiled slightly at Sendoh's retreating form. 'Yeah. I'll see you,' he thought.

"See you," Kouji teased, giving his brother a small nudge.

"Don't start, ass."

"But you're so cute!" Kouji pinced Rukawa's cheeks as he lead them both towards a small bench.

"Cute, my ass."

"You sure have an ass fetish, don't you, bro?"

"You wanna have a knuckle sandwich for snack, 'Ji?"

"Take the pickles off, and I might think about it."

Ass. His brother his an ass. But his ass of a brother was responsible for making him laugh, so Rukawa guessed he could forgive the... ass.

Rukawa and Kouji sat in comfortable silence, seemingly enjoying each other's presence, as they both watched nameless people go on with their lives. It had been a long day for the two of them, and it was quite unfortunate that they had not been able to accomplish their task, which is to buy something special for the man who managed to snag Rukawa's affections.

"We didn't get to buy anything, 'Ji," Rukawa said softly, his eyes never leaving the December crowd. "I was hoping I could get him something really good."

Kouji smiled at the endearment, so offhandedly delivered, but so much appreciated. It was rare that Rukawa would call him 'Ji nowadays, what with them seeing less of each other recently. Rukawa's newfound habit of calling him an 'ass' didn't help as well, and also the fact that they're too busy getting into each other's nerves once they get to spend time together.

No matter what, though, he knew he'd always be 'Ji, and Kaede would always be 'bro'.

And now, Kouji knew that it was time to let his little brother go.

His Kaede has found someone special. Someone who's going to take his place and take care of his brat of a brother. He had seen it with his own eyes earlier.

One look at Sendoh Akira, and he was assured that his brother's in safe hands.

But first things, first-

he had to get his idiot of a brother to open up. Get the stick out of his ass. Yeah.

"There were lots of good things back there, moron," Kouji said, softening his voice so as to lessen his admonition. "What were you looking for, anyway?"

"I don't really know," Rukawa replied, still looking far ahead. "Something perfect, I presume. Something, worthy. Something meaningful. Something that's not a crystal pig. Ass."

Kouji chuckled and whacked Rukawa upside the head. "Heh. That one was cute." He passed an arm around Rukawa's stiff shoulders and squeezed his brother. "So what do you have in mind? We could have gone on all day, looking for that gift, Kaede, and I'm pretty sure that you're never going to find it."

"Why not?" Rukawa demanded, glaring daggers at his twin.

"Because, idiot, you don't even know what you're looking for!" Kouji replied with an exasperated sigh.

"I assumed I'd know when I find it," Rukawa said.

"That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"You're an ass."

"I'm aware of that."

"Yeah, but you're still an ass."

Kouji whistled and shook his head. "This isn't going anywhere, bro."

"I know," Rukawa said softly. He was silent for a while, glaring at nothing in particular, thinking about what a jerk his is. Why are things so difficult? All he wanted was to show his best friend that he cared, so why's that so hard? He's new to this /caring/ thing. Most of his energies and his time is dedicated to the sport that binded him and Sendoh together, anyway, and he'd always been like that. He's not a cold bastard, he knew that, but still, he doesn't really know how to express himself. He was so used to having lots of time for himself and his sport, that somewhere along the way, he failed to commune with the other members of society.

And now, he was given the opportunity to spend lots of time with Sendoh, and slowly, he found himself caring. And more. But being the Jerk that he is, instead of showing Sendoh that he truly cared, he constantly showed the man that he meant nothing more to him than a lint on his shirt.

Way to go, jackass.

Now that he wanted to remedy that, things aren't even going his way. Really. What did he do to deserve this?

He isn't Rukawa Kouji- thank Kami-sama- but he sure made a mess out of this one. Real good.

"You know," Rukawa started, finally breaking the silence, "sometimes I wish I'm more apt with this socializing and expressing thing. Sometimes, I wish I'll stop being a jerk."

Kouji tightened his hold on Rukawa and smiled slightly. "You're not that much of a jerk, bro, really. You just don't know how to handle things. You spent so much time and devotion to your passion, so you really didn't have the chance to experience other things." Kouji chucked Rukawa's cheek and grinned. "Heck, man, you have friends, contrary to what you beleive. You have your teammates, and they are your friends. You just have a rather... unique way of keeping them and showing you care. But really, bro, I'm sure they understand. I'm sure they know that you care."

"If you're telling me that the 'aho cares, you're out of it," Rukawa said, deadpan, making Kouji laugh.

"I'm sure he does, in his own 'aho' way," Kouji chuckled. "But are you getting what I'm trying to say here, you dork?"

Rukawa feigned an innocent look and raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Oh? You were trying to say something?"

"You want that knuckle sandwich, bro?"

Rukawa grinned. "Leave the pickles on, and I'll think about it."

"Why you, little jerk, you," Kouji growled and grabbed Rukawa in a headlock. They wrestled and laughed for quite a while before finally lapsing into another moment of silence.

Snow started to fall slowly, and both smiled at the pretty picture.

"What were you trying to say, 'Ji?" Rukawa asked, settling down on the bench again.

"I'm saying, moron, that you don't have to try that hard," Kouji said, watching the little white flakes as they danced in mid-air before falling on huge heaps on the ground.

_/You don't have to try that hard./_

Rukawa played it in his mind over and over again.

_/I'm sure they know that you care./_

Do they, really?

_/I'm sure they understand./_

Do they? Does he?

Rukawa frowned deep in his thoughts.

Does he understand then, that Rukawa cared so much for him?

Does he understand that somehow, somewhere along the way, he has come to mean to him as something more than a friend?

Does he understand that every moment spent with him, is a moment spent in heaven?

Does he understand how Rukawa holds every moment with him dear in his heart? Does he understand how Rukawa's heart aches whenever he watches Sendoh's retreating form. Does he understand how his heart rejoices whenever their eyes meet?

Does he understand those?

Does he?

And then Rukawa recalled Sendoh's smiles... Smiles that were much warmer when directed to him. He recalled Sendoh's soft touches, and the thousand words behind them. He recalled Sendoh's little ways of showing he cares- like handing him his towel after a match, or buying him his Pocari Sweat because he knew Rukawa would forget to buy his own again, or dragging him over to his apartment for dinner, because he knew that the younger man would be so hell-bent on practicing that he would forget something as trivial as replenishing his energy.

Rukawa recalled that meaningful gaze in Sendoh's eyes whenever their eyes meet.

Does he understand?

_/Of course he does./_

Rukawa smiled. _/Of course, he does./_

"Figured it out, yet?" Kouji's voice was warm and soft, and Rukawa suddenly wanted to hug his brother.

Wanted to, but that doesn't mean he would. Ehm. He's got a reputation to protect.

"Yes, 'Ji," Rukawa simply replied. "Thank you."

"Well!" Kouji exclaimed. "Took you a damned long time, but ch'! It's you. I didn't expect otherwise. Heh."

"Knuckle sandwich, 'Ji?"

"No, thanks," Kouji replied as he made a face. "I've got enough bruises in my face to last an entire week, thank you." He smirked and fished something out of his pocket. "And I wouldn't want a knuckle sandwich, not when I've gone through all the trouble of buying this for you to give to your bishounen."

"What, Kouji?" Rukawa asked, looking over his brother's side to see what the latter's hiding.

"Your gift for Jendoh," Kouji easily replied, holding out the trinket. "It's not much, but if it came from the heart, then it's worth all the special gifts in the world."

Rukawa decided to forgive his brother's inability to say the correct name this time. He was too busy looking at what his dear brother was holding out to him.

"What, you want this or-"

"Hey, hey, I want it," Rukawa said, grabbing the item. He turned it over and over in his hand, and studied it as if it was the Greatest Discovery of Mankind. It's not much. But it's...

"Perfect," Rukawa whispered, looking over to his brother.

Oh, what the heck.

Reputation be damned.

"Thanks, 'Ji." He gathered his idiot brother in a tight hug and smiled. "I love you, you know that, you ass?"

"Heh. I told you you can't live without me."

BONK!

"Kaede!"

Rukawa gave out a hearty laugh and bonked his brother again. He couldn't wait to give his gift to Sendoh.

_/See you,/_ Sendoh had mouthed to him earlier, his smile a ray of sunlight in Rukawa's otherwise mundane existence.

Rukawa smiled again.

_/See you, indeed./_

"Say, Kaede, we're gonna be late for Senkosh's party. We better head off."

And head off, he did.

With a furious Rukawa hot on his heels.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! I was joking! Joking, you twerp! Joking! I'm gonna tell on you!"

"Grrrrr! KOUJI!!!"

----------------------------

"Ne, Rukawa-kun, tired already?" Sendoh teased, handing the spent Rukawa his towel. The younger man didn't bring one again.

"Aho. I'll beat you." Rukawa's eyes were like shining cobalts under the only lamp in the court. It started to snow again, but Sendoh knew that Rukawa has no intentions of leaving the court, not unless he dragged him out.

"Saa. I know, I know," Sendoh said softly, holding out a bottle of Pocari Sweat. "But not until after dinner."

"No. I'll beat you first."

"After dinner," Sendoh said firmly. "Let's go to my house, and I'll fix you something. Kouji'll skin my ass if he finds out I haven't been feeding you properly."

"Hn." Rukawa grabbed the bottle and downed half of it, all the while trying to glare Sendoh down. Sendoh never took his eyes off Rukawa's, not one to back down on a battle. Finally, Rukawa tore his eyes away and 'harrumphed'. "Fine."

Sendoh grinned to himself. Score.

Rukawa threw the bottle towards him, and headed off to gather his things, only to find out that stuff's all ready and neatly placed back into his duffel bag. He threw Sendoh an annoyed look before flinging the bag over his shoulder and heading off.

Sendoh shook his head with a smile before slinging his own bag over his shoulder. He quickly ran up to Rukawa and together, they walked side-by-side towards his apartment.

Something sparkled on Sendoh's bag, everytime the dim lights of Kanagawa hit its surface.

Sendoh touched the shiny little basketball keychain with loving care and smiled.

"Are you just going to stand there all night, or are we going to eat?" Rukawa asked over his shoulder. Sendoh laughed softly and caught up to Rukawa once again. Once he did, he passed an arm around the younger man's shoulder and half-dragged him all the way to their home.

"Ne, Rukawa-kun? What would you like to have for dinner? You know, I've bought this really cool cookbook at the bookstore today. You wouldn't believe all the weird recipes it has in it! I'm dying to try one of them, but I'm afraid no one would be around to sample it, but really, how could I forget you? You're gonna eat every thing I cook, right? I mean, you're the only one who really ate whatever I cooked and-"

"Shut up, Sendoh," Rukawa interrupted. "I'll eat it."

Sendoh stopped walking for a while and studied Rukawa closely. The younger man's face was paler than usual, due to the cold, but his eyes...

His eyes were warm.

And so was his smile.

"And if it tasted like trash?" he found himself asking softly.

"I'll still eat it."

"Yeah," Sendoh whispered. "I figured you would."

"You did, didn't you?"

Then they both smiled.

Sometimes, you really don't have to try that hard anymore.

You just have to sit down, relax, and let things fall into their respective places.

You don't always have to make it alright. You don't always have to make it better.

There would come a time... that it would just be.

And then everything would be okay.

_/Thanks, 'Ji./_

--------------  
o.wa.ri  
--------------

Nothing against SenKosh, I swear. No offense meant. I come in peace.

Postnotes:

I know what you're thinking.

No. Kouji's **NOT** for sale.

Happy Holidays, everybody!

December 2003 - 23 December 2004  
grumbles Can't believe this one took me a year to finish. Hope it's worth it.


End file.
